Track and field: Grant produces another impressive college-bound pack
It's a straight shot. The equivalent of two laps around an oval. No turns, nor a finish line.
Unless, that is, Delaney Basala and Madison Romig used the sidewalk lines in front of their respective homes as starting and finishing lines.
"We would run to each other's house," Basala said with a laugh. "They're exactly an 800 (meters) away. She would always go farther than me because she's a distance runner. I'd always be struggling behind her. We have really fond memories of that."
Wednesday, in Grant's lecture hall that was packed with fellow track runners, family and friends, the sprinter Basala (University of Northern Iowa) and the distance runner Romig (Weber State University) shared another special memory. The two seniors, along with their discus-throwing teammate Rachel Bicknase (Grand Valley State University) and Ryan DeVito (Aurora University) and Nick Peterson (Clarke University) of the boys team, were honored by their school in a special ceremony on National Letter of Intent signing day.
Basala and Romig will run at the Division-I level. Both are state-meet veterans.
Who knew, back when they were Girl Scouts together and running in elementary and middle school together, that they would have a day like Wednesday together?
"We never knew that we were both going to be good (runners) or that we were going to make it to state together," Basala said. "It's really cool."
This is cool, too: Grant keeps pumping out college track athletes, despite a modest enrollment of less than 2,000 students.
"We're hoping the (track) kids see this (signing ceremony) and it motivates them," Grant boys track coach Tom Evans said as more and more bodies (close to 150) packed the lecture hall, which yielded to standing room only.
Among the student-athletes watching was speedy senior Octavian Wells, who took fourth in the 400 meters at state last spring. He's deciding among Illinois, DePaul and Loyola, Evans said. On the boys side, besides sprinter DeVito and pole-vaulter Peterson, Evans says other Bulldogs who might pursue track in college are Timmy Brundidge (hurdles/sprints) Chris Hatton (hurdles/sprints), Kemar Miller (jumps/sprints), Ben Schram (jumps/sprints), Tyler Schaefer (jumps) and Dylan Maranto (throws).
This is a school, mind you, that has the likes of Jonathan Wells (Illinois), Frank Cardy (Xavier), Brandon Lombardino (Kansas, via Arkansas State) and Melissa Dunham (Dartmouth) currently competing in college.
Like those athletes, Basala loves a challenge.
"I was really interested in the Missouri Valley Conference," she said. "I feel like I can grow and be competitive as an athlete."
Basala competes sprints, relays and hurdles, but the 400 meters is admittedly her "baby," as she calls it. In the Class 3A state meet last spring, she earned the ninth-place medal in the 400.
"My goal this year is to be on the podium, because I was standing in the grass last year (next to the podium)," Basala said. "I had the medal and I was in the picture, but I want to be on the podium this year. Top five would just be awesome."
It would be another reason to celebrate.